Caster glide



M. KRAMCSAM, m 22,757,407

CASTER GLIDE Filed Oct. 24, 1952 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MMWM MM6K fir.

M. KRAMCSAK, JR 2,757,407

CASTER GLIDE Filed Oct. 24. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent cnsrnn GLIDE Michael Kramcsak, (in, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, 'Conrn, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 24, 1952, Serial No. 316,669

8 Claims. (CI. 16-42) This invention relates to casterglides and more particularly to those known as tilting glides'where the base of the glide can be arranged at any of a number of acute angles to the furniture leg. The glide is intended for use particularly with furniture having hollow metal legs that are disposed at an acute angle to the floor but can be used also with legs that are normal to the floor. Where the leg is at an acute angle to the floor the glide base can be readily adjusted to suit the angle of the leg within certain limits.

The invention is also particularly concerned with a structure in which the furniture leg is of rectangular cross section but the structure of the present invention is in some cases applicable to legs of other cross sections.

One of the objects is to provide a simple, inexpensive caster glide that can be readily installed in a secure manner and readily adjusted to the angle of the leg in order to meet different conditions of use.

Another object is to provide a caster glide unit in which the assembled relationship of the unit parts will be maintained prior to installation of the unit in the furniture leg, and in which the glide unit will, when it is installed in the leg, withstand hard service.

Another object is to provide a glide, particularly applicable to downwardly inclined furniture legs, that is also adaptable to upright or perpendicular legs.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of a furniture-leg structure embodying my improvements, the axis of the glide in this particular case being in line with the axis of the leg;

Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section, of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, one of the acutely angled positions of the leg relatively to the glide base being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper elastic block used in this glide structure, the same being in its uncompressed condition, and the compressed condition being indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified form, indicating in broken lines the position of an inclined leg in which the glide is installed;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the snap ring shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the leg-supporting plate shown in Fig. 4; and

Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, are sectional views similar to Fig. 4, illustrating further modified forms.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the glide is shown in connection with a hollow metal furniture leg of square cross section, the leg-supporting plate, which is a part of the glide, being generally of square shape and having upstanding flanges along the sides which prevent dislocation of the lower glide structure relatively to the leg in a lateral direction. The glide unit includes in this case a resilient sheet metal retainer in plate form which is adapted to be bowed somewhat by 2,757,407 Patented Aug. 7, 1956 insertion of the upper glide structure into the furniture leg with a certain amount of pressure, and in this case two opposite edges of a generally rectangular retainer member are toothed to provide points that dig into the inner surface of the leg, as hereinafter described.

The resilient retainer is slidably mounted on the smooth shank of a stem adjacent the upper end of the stem, the lower end of the stem having an enlargement or head by means of which it is mounted for universal swinging movement with respect to the base structure of the glide. The leg-supporting plate, previously mentioned, is mounted upon a portion of the glide base in such a manner that the leg and the base can have relative tilting movement, for which purpose the glide base has a projecting spherical part entering a hollow spherical part on the leg-supporting plate, the two parts in conjunction providing a universal connection in the nature of a balland-socket joint. Above this joint is a compressed block of elastic material such as rubber interposed between the retainer and the leg-supporting plate and surrounding the stem, while below this joint there is a block of rubber or like material in the base having a socket in which the lower head of the stem is received.

in the drawings, the hollow leg is indicated at 10, and the inserted glide unit at 111, said unit comprising the stem 12, the retainer 13, the upper elastic block 14, the leg-supporting plate 115, and the glide base 16. The head at the lower end of the stem is indicated at 17, and the lower elastic block in which the head 17 is accommodated, at The universal joint connection between the plate 15 and the upper part of the glide base is indicated generally at 19, and the side flanges on the plate 15, at Zil. The part of the base 16 which cooperates with the plate 15 to constitute a universal joint is indicated at 21, this part being constituted by a metallic member set upon the upper end or" the elastic block 18.

Base part in is constituted in part by a sheet metal memberZZ in the form of a cup having a curled rim portion 23 in which a part of the rubber block 18 is received. As shown in Fig. 3, the part 18 has a portion within and conforming to the curled rim of the cup 22, and the edge of the curled rim makes contact with a cylindrical portion 2a of block 13 which extends upwardly out of the base. Above the cylindrical portion 24 the block it; is cut away to provide a dome-shaped part 25 upon which the metal member El is supported.

In the lower central part of the block it; is a clearance recess 26, the main part of the head 17 being supported above this recess. Above the recess and in communication therewith is a dished portion or recess 27 in which the head l7 is accommodated, as shown in Fig. 3, said recess 27 leading to a narrow cylindrical throat portion 28. immediately above the portion 28 and communicating therewith is a funnel-shaped recess 29 The tunnelshaped portion 2;? leads to the upper surface or" the block 18, and, as shown in Fig. 3, its surface is substantially in line with an aperture 3% in the upwardly dished metal piece or shell 21. The peripheral edge of the metal piece 21, as shown in Fig. 3, rests upon a shoulder provided upon the block iii.

In this particular form, when the parts are in the relationship shown in Fig. 3 in full lines, an upwardly bent or dished portion of the plate 15, indicated at 31, rests upon and conforms to a part of the piece' or shell 21, the plate 15 having a central aperture 32 which .is of somewhat less diameter than a central aperture 3%) in the piece 21. It will also be seen that the upper rubber block 14 is sup ported at its bottom upon the portion 31, the diameter of the upper block being somewhat greater than the diameter of the aperture 32. in order to support the base of the block effectively. 1

The sheet metal retainer 13 is held in place relatively to the stem 12 by deforming the stem near the upper end of the latter, for which purpose the upper end of the stern may be provided with projecting integral wings or nibs 36.

The side flanges 20 of the plate 15 may be somewhat spaced from each other at their ends, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to provide open corner portions 37 at the corners of the plate. Usually there will be clearance between each flange 20 and the adjacent side face of the metal leg, as indicated at 38 in Fig. 2. The plate 15' is made sufficiently large to accommodate the legs if there is some variation in theleg dimensions, and the cut-away corners 37 of the plate are of advantage in adapting the glide to diflerent leg profiles.

The retainer 13 in this form has along each of two opposite ends a series of V-shaped teeth 39 providing sharp points which on insertion of the glide into the leg bite into the inner surface of the leg so as to hold the glide securely in place. Normally the retainer plate, which is made of thin springy metal, is in the form of a shallow bow with its convex surface uppermost, and upon insertion of the glide the bowing of the plate is somewhat increased.

While in the present form both of the elastic blocks 14 and 18 are made of rubber, the rubber of which base part 18 is constructed is harder and more rigid than that of which the part 14 is constructed. The result is that in the glide unit above described the upper block 14 is initially under sufficient compression to deform it noticeably, whereas the lower block is not noticeably deformed. The upper block 14 originally has the shape shown in Fig. 3A, but as a result of the fact that this member is held under considerable compression in the space between the plate 15 and the retainer 13, the block is bulged out laterally so as to have approximately the form shown in Fig. 3 when the parts have the relative positions shown in that view. In this form the block 14 is originally of round cross section but variation may be made in this and other respects.

Preferably the structure is such that, when the parts are in the relationship shown in Fig. 3, the curved convex surface of the main portion of the stem head 17 will be in only partial contact with the socketed portion 27 of block 18, the contact of the head with the block being confined to a relatively small region just below the constriction or throat 28.

It is understood that in the completed glide unit, before and after installation in the furniture leg, the action of the compressed rubber member 14, upon the stem 12, is such as to hold the parts of the universal joint 19 closely together so that there is no looseness, although, on the other hand, permitting the joint to function if and when this is required.

In this particular form the lower end of the leg is cut off squarely so that in the assembled position the leg is perpendicular to the main portion of the plate 15. The leg and the plate on which it rests can, however, take different acute-angled positions with respect to the floor as required by different conditions. In other words, the leg can have any one of a number of different inclinations with respect to the floor. One of these positions is indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 3. In moving to this broken-line position, the upstanding socket portion 31 of the plate 15 moves over the upper convex surface of the lower member 21.

It will be understood that in moving to the tilted position the part of the stem 12 that is located in the funnelshaped recess of the base will move laterally in this recess and movement is permitted until the stem reaches the side surface of the recess.

It will also beunderstood that, as the compressed block 14 holds the stem upwardly with relation to the glide base, vibrations are not transmitted from the metal cup 22 to the stem.

In the modified form. shown in Fig. 4, the base structure of the glide is as described above, but in this case the stem 40 has a different upper end structure in that a snap ring 41 engages a groove 42 near the upper end of the stern so as to hold in place a metal washer 43 that is located immediately above the retainer 13. The snap ring, when sprung into place in the groove 42, will act to hold the upper rubber body under compression. In this form, also, the leg-supporting plate 44 is dilferent from the plate 15. This plate 44 has no side flanges but the leg 45, which is of square crosssection, is centered on the plate by small bosses or projections 46 which are provided by bending portions of the plate in an. upward direction. The arrangement of the projections 46 on the plate is as shown in Fig. 4B.

In this case the lower end of the leg is not squared oil. as before but has a mitered or beveled lower end. In this case the glide can be adjusted to conform to the inclination of the leg by the tilting or tipping of the stem, which, as shown in Fig. 4, is tipped slightly to theright, without moving the plate 44 from a horizontal position. The leg may be a stationary one having a predetermined inclination to the floor, and the glide is readily adaptable to it.

The form shown in Fig. 5 is similar to the form of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, in that the general arrangement of the parts is the same and also the structure of the retainer 13, the upper elastic body 14, and the leg-supporting plate 15, likewise the sheet metal cup 22. The rubber cushion member associated with the base, indicated at 47, differs, however, in some respects from the corresponding member of the first-described form. The lower recessed part of the rubber member is substantially the same as that of the first form, but this member has a smaller vertical dimension and the upper surface of the member is provided with a shallow annular seat 48 in which is received a metallic annular member 49. This member 49 is one of some depth having an upper dome-shaped surface 50 to engage in the correspondingly formed socket of the plate 15 and having a flat lower face to seat in the recess 48. In the member 49 is a funnel-shaped recess 51 leading to the upper face of the member and having a diameter at the upper end which is somewhat greater than the diameter of the aperture in the plate 15.

In this form the stem 52 is similar to the stem 12, previously described, having the same formation at the lower end, but at the upper end the stem has a threaded portion 53 engaged by a nut 54 located immediately above a washer 55, the latter washer in turn being immediately above the retainer 13. At the upper extremity the stem member is provided with a groove 56 for receiving a screw driver. The threaded portion 53 of the stem is of such length that, by screwing up the nut-54 as far as is permitted, the rubber member 14 will'be compressed or loaded to a predetermined degree, as in the forms previously described, inasmuch as it is distinctly advantageous to have the elastic member under a predetermined amount of compression.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the metallic part associated with the base which engages the cup-shaped socket of the leg-supporting plate 'is omitted, and the leg-supporting plate directly engages a dome-shaped formation on the upper end of the cushion provided in the base. In this case the leg-supporting plate 57, which is of the flanged variety, has an upstanding socket part 58 provided with an aperture 59 colsely engaged by the shank of the stem 60. The retainer 13 is of the construction previously described, but in this case the retainer is placed immediately above the socket part 58 and above it is located a relatively small elastic member 61 having a hole in which the stem is engaged. Above the elastic member 61 is a washer 62, and above the latter a cotter pin 63 is passed transversely through the stem.. The cotter pin serves to hold the elastic member 61 under a predetermined degree of compression as before, and as before the stem is .held in an upper position with its head held against the constricted portion or throat in the cushion member. The cushion member is indicated at 64, and at the upper part this member has an integral dome-shaped portion 65 engaging the cup-shaped par of the plate 57. The cushion member has a flaring recess did in which the stem can have lateral movement.

in the form shown in Fig. 7, the stem 67 has near the upper end integral wings or nibs 68 located immediately above a retainer 69 which is of umbrella shape and serves to the inner surface of a leg which in this form is tubular in cross section, this leg being indicated at 70. The umbrella is provided with peripheral projections 71 which engage the leg. Beneath the umbrella is a rubber body 72 compressed between the under surface of the umbrella and the upper surface 73 of a metal block 74. This metal block is inserted and fits within the round hole in the leg, and is provided with a laterally extending portion 75 that extends under the lower edge of the leg to support the leg on theglide base. At the lower end the metal member "/4 is provided with a spherical socket in which is received the upper end of an upwardly ,rojecting sheet metal member 77 with which the glide base '78 is provided. The upper portion of the member 77 is partly spherical to engage the socket of the member 74, for free tilting movement, and is provided at the upper end with an aperture 79 which provides clearance for the lower part of the stem 67 so that the base structure can tilt. At the lower end the stem has a head 80 of disk-like shape resting against the upper surface of a rubber member 81 serving as a cushion in the base of the glide. The glide base '78 includes a metal cup 32 with a curled-over rim. The rubber part 81 of the base has a laterally extending portion filling the rim of the (l and this rubber part has a circumferential recess 83 reading to its upper face. In this recess is received the lower part of the dome-like member 77, the lower base portion of which is flanged laterally, as indicated at 84.

in this form the leg is rigid with the member 74 providid. with a socket, and the member 77 is in the nature of a ball engaging said socket, the arrangement being such that the glide base having the ball-like member can tip in any direction with respect to the leg. In this article the upper compressed body ('72 holds the stem upwardly with respect to the stem socket provided in the base. The stem can tilt to some extend within this socket, as will be apparent; The rubber cushion d1 cushions the lower part '77 of the universal connection so that vibrations are not transmitted to this part.

In the form shown in Fig. 8, the leg 85, which maybe of rectangular cross section, is supported in a flanged supporting member 86 that has at its central portion a projectingintegral part 87forming a part of a ball-andsocket connection between "the leg structure and the base structure 88. Cooperating with the portion 87 is a socketed part 39 of a sheet metal. member 90 that is supported in the base cup 91 having the curled-over rim 92. In the glide base 38 is a rubber cushion member 93 having an annular recess 94 in which the lower flanged part of the member 90 is received. The member 90 has an upper central aperture 95 closely fitting a stem 96 having an integral disk-like head 97 closely confined between the socket part 89 and the cushion 93. At its lower end the projecting part 87 of the plate 86 is provided with a round aperture 98, giving clearance to the stem 96 so that the leg structure can tilt in any direction. Extending around the stem 96 above the part 37 is a rubber member 99 in the shape of a ball, this member being held under a predetermined degree of compression between the leg-supporting plate and the retainer 1.3, which retainer is held in place by a washer liltllocated under an enlargement M1 on the upper end of the stem, this enlargement preferably being provided b] recessing the stem and riveting it over the Washer. By positioning the washer Add in this manner the rubber member 99 is held under a predetermined degree of compression.

To permit clearance when the leg member is to be jstem having a lower head tioned here, it is also necessary to provide clearance be tween the relatively fixed stem and the retainer 13 and {in the present case the retainer is provided with a clear ance recess 103 located at the upper end of the recess 102. This recess 103 is in an upwardly dished part 104 of the retainer, which conforms to the upper surface of {the rubber member 99. As before, the retainer 13 is of rectangular shape to engage the inner surface of the leg at opposite edges of the retainer, and if desired the retainer may have serrated edges, as shown in Fig. 2 of gthe drawings.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the invention provides a simple, inexpensive caster glide that can be readily installed in a secure manner, and readily adjusted to the angle of the leg in order to meet different conditions of use. The parts of the glide which are embodied in the unit for installation in the furniture leg are securely held in assembled relationship prior to installation of the unit, and the unit can be readily applied to the furniture, and when installed will give good service. The maner in which the stem member is held in cooperative relationship to the base is distinctly advantageous, and the structure is simple and of such character that few repairs are needed. The upper elastic member which supports the retainer and at the same time supports the stem in proper relationship to the base is of simple formation, and it can be made to function very effectively due to the fact that, in the glide unit as furnished to the user, this member is compressed or loaded to a predetermined degree calculated to give optimum results in service.

While a number of forms of the improved glide are disclosed in the drawings, various other modifications may be adopted and changes made in the details without departure from the principles of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A glide unit comprising a metallic base cup, a cushion in the cup extending upwardly therefrom and having a central lower socket and above and communicating with said socket an upwardly flaring recess, a legsupporting plate above said cushion having a central ball-and-socket type connection with said cushion, a engaged in the cushion socket and having a shank extending upwardly through the legsupporting plate with lateral clearance in said upwardly flaring recess for swinging movement relatively to the cushion, an elastic block placed over the central portion of the leg-supporting plate and through which said stem is extended upwardly, a legengaging retainer supported above said block around the stem, and fixed means adjacent the upper end of said stem above said retainer cooperating with said lower head in holding the parts in assembled relationship with a predetermined degree of compression of said elastic block.

2. A glide unit comprising a stem having a lower head with a convex upper surface, a glide base having a socket in which said head is received and to which said upper surface partially conforms, a leg-supporting member having a shouldered leg support and having a concave part fitting over said base to permit universal tilting movement, said stem extending upwardly through an aperture in said member, an elastic block surrounding the stem above said member, a dished leg-engaging retainer above said block, and an integral member on the stem above said retainer holding the stem in an upward position with respect to the head socket in the base and subjecting said elastic block to a predetermined degree of compression.

3. In a caster glide, a base having a cup engageable with the floor and a cushion in said cup, said cushion having a downwardly facing socket for a stem head and a communicating upwardly flaring recess leading from said socket to the upper face of the base, a leg-supporting member above said base having a ball-andsocket connection or joint therewith for universal tilting movement, a substantially upright stem having a lower head engaging said downwardly facing socket and having a flaring recess and upwardly beyond said leg-supporting shank extending with lateral clearance through said member, said shank being tiltable relatively to the base, a compressible elastic member surrounding said stem above said leg-supporting member, a resilient dished retainer loosely surrounding said stem adjacent said elastic member, the upper end of said stem protruding from the upper part of the assembly, and means associated with said protruding upper end for holding said base, leg-supporting member, elastic member and retainer in axially fixed postion on said stem with said lower head of said stem being held against said downwardly facing socket and with said compressible elastic member being placed under compression.

4. A glide as defined in claim 3 in which the retainer is superimposed on the compressible elastic member and in which the retainer is held at a predetermined distance from the upper extremity of the stem.

5. In a glide of the tilting type adapted to permit tilting movement between a hollow leg and a glide base, a resilient retainer of dished formation engageable at its edge portion with the inner surface of a hollow leg, a supporting member having means for centering it with respect to the lower end of the leg and means for underlying the leg to support the same, a glide base having a cup engageable with the floor and a cushion member received in said cup, said cushion member being recessed to present a downwardly flaring recess in proximity to and facing the bottom of the cup and to present an upwardly flaring recess leading from said first recess to the upper end of the cushion, the first-named recess presenting a socket for a head on an upstanding stem, a compressible elastic member in the nature of a block located above and in engagement with said leg-supporting member, said leg-supporting member and said glide base having a universal connection in the nature of a ball-and-socket joint between them providing for universal tilting movement, a substantially upright stem having a lower head engaging the head-receiving socket of the glide base, said stem passing upwardly through said upwardly flaring recess and through apertures in the leg-supporting member and said elastic member and said retainer and having an upper end protruding from the assembly of said member, and means associated with the upper end of said stem for holding said assembly as an asembled unit with said elastic member under compression to such extent that the head of said stem is held in the upper part of said socket in upwardly spaced relation to the bottom of said cup.

6. In a glide of the tilting type adapted to permit tilting movement between a hollow leg and a glide base, a resilient retainer of dished formation engageable at its edge portion with the inner surface of a hollow leg, a supporting member having means for centering it with respect to the lower end of the leg and means for underlying the leg to support the same, a glide base having a cup engageable with the floor and a cushion member of elastic material received in said cup, said cushion member having at the lower part a downwardly flaring recess open to the cup bottom and having above and in communication with said recess a second recess which flares toward the top of the cushion, said first recess presenting a socket for a tilting stem head, a compressible elastic member in the nature of a block superimposed upon said leg-supporting member, said leg-supporting member and said glide base having a connection or joint between them providing for universal tilting movement, a substantially upright stem having a lower head with a curved upper part adapted to engage in said socket in tiltable relationship thereto with the lower surface of the head above the cup bottom, said stem passing upwardly through apertures in the legsupporting member and said elastic member and said retainer and having a smooth shank portion disposed in said second-named recess of the cushion and the upper end of said stern extending upwardly beyond the assembly of the glide base, leg-supporting member, elastic member, and retainer, and means associated with the upper end of said stem for holding said elastic member under compression to a degree such that the curved upper surface of said head is urged upwardly into contact with its cooperating socket.

7. A glide unit comprising a metallic base cup, an elastic cushion in the cup extending upwardly therefrom and having a central lower socket open to and opposing the bottom of the cup and communicating with an upwardly flaring recess leading to the upper end of the cushion, a leg-supporting plate above said cushion having a ball-and-socket joint with the cushion, the ball portion of the joint being associated with the cushion member, a stern having a lower head with 'a convex upper surface engaged in the cushion socket and of dimensions such that when drawn upwardly against said'socket the head is clear of the cup bottom, said stem having a shank partially disposed in said upwardly flaring recess and extending upwardly through and beyond the leg-supporting plate, an elastic block superimposed on the leg-supporting plate through which said stem is extending upwardly, a leg engaging retainer supported above said block around the stem, and means adjacent the upper end of said stem above said retainer cooperating with said lower head in holding the parts in assembled relationship with a prede termined degree of compression of said elastic block and with said retainer at a predetermined spacing from the upper extremity of said stem.

8. A glide unit comprising a stem having a lower head with a convex upper surface, a glide base comprising a cup and an elastic cushion within and extending upwardly from said cup, the upper part of said glide base being convex, said cushion having a lower downwardly facing socket with a curved upper part adapted to be contacted by the convex surface of said head and said cushion having in communication with said socket an upwardly flaring recess leading to the top of the cushion and in which a portion of said stem is disposed, a leg-supporting mem ber adapted to extend under the lower edge of a hollow furniture leg and having a concave 'part fitting over said base to permit universal tilting movement, an elastic block superimposed on said leg-supporting member, a dished leg-engaging retainer above said block, said stem extending upwardly through said leg-supporting member, said block and said retainer, and means associated with a portion of the stem above said retainer subjecting said elastic block to compression and holding the stem head seated in its socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,855,844 Schacht Apr. 26, 1932 2,439,195 Witmyer et al. Apr. s, 1948 2,568,507 Miller Sept. 18, 1951 2,640,219 Becker June 2, 1953 

